Epics -- List your Favorite Long Songs! (or check this for recommendations!)

[iPotm]

Epics-- Also known as rock/metal operas, or progressive rock/metal, or symphonic rock. Epics are songs performed by a normal-sized band, without actual limits in time-- whereas a 'regular' song would play for about 3-4 minutes, an epic can pass the 30 or 40 minute mark with ease--without stopping. TransAtlantic is a very good example.

This supergroup, compiled by various artists from various recognized progressive metal bands (Dream Theater, Spock's Beard, Marillion, The Flower Kings) have produced two studio albums, with an average length of 20 minutes per song. Their very first song, All of the Above is nearly exactly 30 minutes in length and has many many different styles and melodies which then somehow all come together and fit like a threedimensional puzzle.

All the other bands I mentioned before in here also produced their fair share of epics. Dream Theater and Spock's Beard are notorious for them, even. DT made an album called Six Degrees of Inner turbulence; a double-CD album which has a concept CD on disc 2. It is actually a 42 minute concept song about mental illnesses that is chopped up into smaller bits for convenient's sake. The talent that is required to produce something magnificent like this can be compared with the famous symphony masterminds from centuries ago, and remain rather unmatched in the contemporary music culture.

Although that good epics are a rare breed, there are certainly undiscovered yet amazingly fantastic long songs out there that deserve recognition. This thread serves to find and display these songs.

As for this moment I'd like to put in the spotlight:

The Flower Kings - The Truth will set you free

this symphonic rock masterpiece is 30:55 minutes in length and, although mellow, really powerful the more you listen to it. Although certainly not the best epic out there (I'm saving the best for last ;)) it is surely worth trying out if you want to find out about epics.

If you got any long songs you want to mention, please do so! I always try to find new epics :)

[honeybee1236]

I have some longer than these but these are my favorites but all jazz. This is what I like to listen to3

1-Westchester Lady - Fourplay, Rick Braun, Boney James, & Kirk Whalem 13:22
2-Soweto - Bob James 10:04
3-Tangerine - Dave Brubeck 10:25
4-Also Sprach Zarathustra - Deodato 11:05
5-Zanzibar - Earth, Wind & Fire 13:09
6-Chamelon - Herbie Hancock 15:44
7-City, Country, City - War 13:24
8-Boogie Woogie Waltz - Weather Report 13:08
9-Cucumber Slumber - Weather Report 11:41
10-Mushroom Jazz 1,2,3 & 4 Mix - each one is over 1 hour long

[NiTRO]

Mushroom Jazz although great (I have all of them) are DJ mixes of 2-4 minute multiple songs/artists.

[tdub]

Inagoddadavidda Iron Butterfly
from the '70's I think

[Treythalomew]

I've never heard of these type of songs. My longest song is a Beatles song that is only about 8 minutes long.

[Aceon6]

tdub... it's In A Gadda Da Vida... 17 minutes of pure pretentious 70s rock with a kick a** drum solo in the middle.

Don't forget Meat Loaf's Paradise by the Dashboard Light... concert rock at it's biggest and badest.

Emerson, Lake and Palmer's full length Pictures at an Exhibition

[DoubleA660]

Hmm...my suggestion would be Konstantine - Something Corporate...but it's only 9:34. Or...AFI - But Home Is Nowhere/This Time Imperfect at 15:06

[iPURD]

the longest song youve ever heard is 8 minutes?!?!
yes is really great i have a live version of a song called
-close to the edge it is a really good song and it is almost like 4 or 5 different songs in one but blended to one

[iPod Master]

well, if you get into prog, you can find millions of epic songs. in metal, the average songs are about 8 minutes and in prog the average is anywhere from 12 to 30 minutes. some prog bands are opeth(prog death), dreamtheater (best prog!), ayreon (rock operas), and much more.

i have to recommend songs so here goes
black rose immortal- opeth
when the water breaks- liquid tension experiment

[stasyna]

Led Zeppelin - Dazed and Confused [Live] (From various concerts)

Pink Floyd - Shine on You Crazy Diamonds
" - Echoes



Probably 3 of the best, im my opinion.

[iPotm]

stasyna-- you might be interested to hear that TransAtlantic successfully covered Shine on you Crazy Diamond on their European tour.

iPodmaster : I'm familiar with that, they're both amazing songs. You might be interested (if you're not already) to find out about Symphony X and their epic called 'The Odyssey'. 23 minutes of pure bliss. :cool:

[ymtw]

godspeed you! black emperor - every song they've recorded (and any song any of the members' side projects have recorded)

old man gloom - zozobra (27:19)
experimental noise/hardcore masterpiece. very intense... sounds like the end of the world.

black tape for a blue girl - for you will burn your wings upon the sun (26:20)
lots of strings. if goth were a sound, this would come pretty close to being it.

whitehouse - live action 4 complete (20:57)
twenty minutes of static, samples, and general noise. definitely not for everyone.

jimmy eat world - goodbye sky harbour (16:11)
incredibly beautiful and dreamy sounding. if this song doesn't give you warm fuzzies, you're broken.

as the sun sets - everything (12:25)
grindcore becomes absolute silence becomes utter weirdness.

anarctica - 7759-60784-1-E (12:07)
another dreamy song. a lot of electronics in this one too. fantastic chill soundtrack.

i'll do more later.

[iPotm]

Excellent, thanks for that heads-up! I don't know any of these songs but I'm going to check them out right away.

[stasyna]

Originally posted by iPotm
stasyna-- you might be interested to hear that TransAtlantic successfully covered Shine on you Crazy Diamond on their European tour.


:eek: I didnt know that... sweet info, thanks :D

[canadian_420]

B####es Brew By Nomeansno

its a cover of the classic Miles Davis tune, its just over 15 minutes, and if you've never heard of Nomeansno they played jazz fused punk

[iPotm]

Originally posted by stasyna
:eek: I didnt know that... sweet info, thanks :D
Anytime. I hope you can find a semi-decent bootleg on that because although I have it on my DVD, I can't recall them having it published officially.

[malcanta]

Suite Sister Mary(10:39) by Queensryche

I never knew it was that long, it's just so good.

Also, In My Time of Dying by Led Zeppelin.

[M81388]

I love the song - Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You - Led Zeppelin

[nixie21]

At War With Satan, by VENOM

This is the group that founded the genre 'Black Metal' this song is about 18-20 minutes.

[Pistol_Pete]

Zwan - Jesus,I / Mary Star Of The Sea

(aprox. 15 minutes long)

[iBookiPod]

Shine On You Crazy Diamond-- Pink Floyd

[Longbow]

The Mars Volta- Cicatriz ESP (12:28)
The Allman Brothers Band- Whipping Post (live at Fillmore East) (22:40)
Pink Floyd- Shine On You Crazy Diamond (parts II & II) (25 mins combined)
Led Zeppelin- Achilles Last Stand (10:23)
Jimi Hendrix- Machine Gun (live at Fillmore East) (13:34)

Not quite epic but long enough and great songs. My favorite is Cicatriz ESP

[shindigo]

Something funky...

James Brown - Cold Sweat (Live) -- fades out at 12:51 - this really kicks!

[footballminor]

Jungleland - Springsteen

[Roman21]

"Carmina Burana" by Carl Orff

a very famous opera, everyone will enjoy